Birmingham is coming alive with creativity and art this season, offering everything from bold contemporary pieces and experimental sculpture to exhibitions that uncover hidden histories and local legends.
Whether you’re drawn to immersive installations, thought-provoking photography, or hands-on museum experiences, there are plenty of art exhibitions in Birmingham and the surrounding areas to spark curiosity in every direction.
Here, we explore some of the galleries, museums, and unexpected spaces across Birmingham and the Midlands that are exhibiting art in 2026 and 2027.
Mike Allison: 100 Views of Birmingham
Where: Nook Gallery, Institute Road, King’s Heath, Birmingham, B14 7EG
When: Now until Sunday 26 April
Drawing inspiration from Utagawa Hiroshige’s 100 Famous Views of Edo, Mike Allison reinterprets Birmingham through shifting light, weather, and architectural rhythm. His prints, which are made using engraving, linocut, and monotype, build a layered portrait of the city that rewards close, patient viewing.
Watch Us Lead
Where: Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, Chamberlain Square, Birmingham
When: Currently running, no end date confirmed
Artist Christopher Samuel highlights overlooked stories of identity, disability, and belonging in this powerful archival project.
The exhibition brings together nine newly recorded interviews with disabled people of colour in Birmingham, alongside Samuel’s stained glass works and drawings. Together, they foreground lived experiences often absent from official historical narratives.
The Bothy: Congregation
Where: Minerva Apothecary Garden (Grand Union), Fazeley Street, Birmingham
When: Permanent
A permanent outdoor installation created by Alberta Whittle forms a space for rest and reflection beside the canal.
Developed as part of Whittle’s ongoing Congregation: Creating Dangerously project, the structure – made in collaboration with local women’s groups – takes cues from traditional Scottish bothies. It functions as a simple, open shelter designed for pause, sky-watching, and quiet retreat within the urban landscape.
Ozzy Osbourne (1948–2025): Working Class Hero
Where: Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, Chamberlain Square, Birmingham
When: Now until Sun 27 September
A celebration of Birmingham’s own rock legend and his global impact.
This expanded exhibition showcases Ozzy Osbourne’s solo career alongside memorabilia from his time with Black Sabbath. Visitors can see major international awards, platinum records, and honours spanning Grammy wins to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Helios
Where: The Exchange, Centenary Square, Birmingham
When: Now until Sunday 1 November
A glowing sculptural installation of the sun by Luke Jerram.
This large-scale illuminated artwork uses detailed solar imagery to reveal the Sun’s surface in extraordinary detail. Suspended within the historic Banking Hall, it casts a warm atmospheric glow across the space throughout its display period.
Balraj Khanna
Where: Ikon Gallery, Oozells Square, Brindley Place, Birmingham
When: Tuesday 30 September 2026 – Sunday 21 February 2027
This major retrospective brings renewed attention to the life and work of Balraj Khanna (1939–2024), offering the first large-scale survey of his influential artistic career.
Timed to mark 25 years since his celebrated Astral Dance commission for the Birmingham Hippodrome safety curtain, the exhibition charts Khanna’s evolving abstract style – rooted in his early life in Punjab, shaped by migration to post-war Britain, and enriched by a lifelong engagement with nature and memory.
The exhibition brings together rarely seen early works from the 1960s, politically and personally charged paintings from the 1970s exploring identity and diaspora, and later mixed-media pieces from the 1980s onwards that showcase his dynamic blend of organic and geometric forms.
Painting Live at Lorimer Art & Framing
Where: Lorimer Art & Framing, 29 Regent Street, Rugby, Warwickshire
When: Friday 5th June 2026 – 7-9pm
This exclusive event will feature a full gallery takeover showcasing local artist Amanda Drage’s artwork, including a live painting demonstration, offering a unique opportunity to experience her exceptional talent first-hand. A selection of her latest sketches, prints, and original paintings will also be available to view and purchase on the day. This is a free ticketed event. Link to book.
Explore local art near you
These art exhibitions across Birmingham and Warwickshire offer a rich snapshot of contemporary creativity, heritage, and storytelling.
If this has inspired you to explore art, why not visit local art gallery, Lorimer? Based in Rugby, Lorimer shares that same spirit but on a more intimate scale, bringing art into everyday reach. Find out more about our artists.
